*Derrick Lewis lands a vicious flying knee on the chin of Marcos Rogerio de Lima. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

This Saturday, the UFC heads to the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, with an exciting Fight Night card. Throughout the card, there’s plenty of top-level talent and intriguing matchups that are sure to deliver highlights. In the co-main event, legendary Welterweight striker Stephen Thompson will face off with the quickly rising submission artist, Gabriel Bonfim. In the main event, we’ll see UFC knockout king Derrick Lewis take on the heavy-handed prospect Tallison Teixeira. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Junior Tafa vs. Tuco Tokkos

*Junior Tafa blasts Parker Porter with a brutal knee to the head. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Light Heavyweight Bout

Junior Tafa: 6-3-0, 6 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Tuco Tokkos: 10-5-0, 6 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Tafa has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Sean Sharaf (4-1-0) and Parker Porter (14-9-0). He’s a heavy-handed brawler who’s always in pursuit of a finish. A former professional kickboxer, he held a record of 23-5 with 19 wins by knockout and competed in the premier kickboxing promotion, Glory. Tafa is constantly looking to close the distance and throw bombs, and can cause severe damage with minimal space. He will regularly look to land shots down the middle, particularly straight punches and uppercuts. He has not attempted a takedown in the UFC and won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges, but has successfully defended 77% of takedowns attempted on him in his promotional tenure. Tafa has only left the second round once in his career, always pushing a heavy pace from the opening bell.

*Tuco Tokkos exchanges blows with Navajo Stirling. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Tokkos has won three of his last five bouts and is looking for his first UFC victory. He’s a well-rounded scrapper who’s always willing to throw down in the pocket. He has heavy hands and is in perpetual motion, never staying in one spot long before blitzing in to throw wide, looping hooks. Tokkos is a solid grappler, possessing a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, powerful takedowns and slams, and heavy top pressure. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he’s comfortable on his feet but will occasionally pursue early takedowns, typically inside the clinch. He favors power to volume and is a great counter striker, regularly catching opponents with punches as he exits the pocket. Tokkos won’t push a heavy pace but is at his most dangerous early on, with six of his eight finishes coming in round one.

Vitor Petrino vs. Austen Lane

*Vitor Petrino fires a kick to the body of Tyson Pedro. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

Heavyweight Bout

Vitor Petrino: 11-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Austen Lane: 13-6-0, 11 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Petrino has won three of his last five outings, with UFC victories over Tyson Pedro (10-5-0), Marcin Prachnio (17-8-0), and Modestas Bukauskas (18-6-0). He’s an explosive fighter with devastating power and solid grappling. He’s constantly coming forward, typically headhunting and throwing single shots, with enough power in both hands to produce a one-shot KO. Training at CM System, Petrino is at his most dangerous early on, regularly unloading overhands and hooks, favoring power over technique. He is averaging over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and can be a bit of a panic wrestler, resorting to grappling when he’s getting the worst of the striking exchanges. He has heavy top control and brutal ground and pound, averaging about one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. Petrino has surprisingly decent cardio and can push a consistent pace throughout the fight.

*Austen Lane stuns Robelis Despaigne with a powerful left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Lane has won one of his last five fights with one No Contest and has a UFC victory over Robelis Despaigne (5-2-0). He is a lengthy striker who often opens up with a barrage of kicks before blitzing in to unleash combinations. He’s very explosive, throws everything in combination, and spends much of his time in the cage brawling inside the pocket. Training at Bulldog Boxing, Lane has solid power in his hands and decent cardio, carrying his punching capacity across 15 minutes. He is a former NFL player and has finished nearly all of his wins, leaving the first round just six times in his professional career. While he won’t typically engage in grappling exchanges, he will throw heavy ground-and-pound if he finds himself in top position. Lane has shown an ability to survive off his back and will pursue submissions if given the opportunity.

Nate Landwehr vs. Morgan Charrière

*Nate Landwehr lands a brutal ground and pound elbow on David Onama. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Featherweight Bout

Nate Landwehr: 18-6-0, 9 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Morgan Charrière: 20-11-1, 12 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Landwehr has won three of his last five bouts, holding UFC victories over David Onama (14-2-0), Ludovit Klein (23-5-1), and Darren Elkins (29-12-0). He’s a true scrapper who always comes forward and engages in the fight wherever it goes. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly walking through punches to close the distance. Landwehr fights behind his jab, constantly looking for opportunities to crash into the pocket and land combinations. He is willing to mix it up, averaging about one takedown landed and one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. He pushes a heavy pace and is at his best in a dogfight, controlling the center and forcing his opponent to the outside. Landwehr has earned three performance bonuses in his last five UFC appearances and always leaves everything inside the cage.

*Morgan Charrière lands a vicious kick to the body of Manolo Zecchini. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Charrière has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Manolo Zecchini (11-4-0) and Gabriel Miranda (17-8-0). A solid scrapper willing to engage the fight anywhere, he’s always dangerous. Training with Team Chapa Quente, he’s a technical striker with substantial power in his hands and brutal leg kicks. Charrière has excellent footwork and is very defensively sound, taking minimal damage and always keeping his head off the centerline. He remains calm and technical throughout and won’t get pulled into dogfights, typically forcing his opponents to the outside and picking them apart. On the ground, he has great top control and heavy ground and pound, particularly elbows. Charrière has gone five rounds multiple times in his career and possesses great cardio, often increasing his pace as the fight progresses.

#14 Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia

*Calvin Kattar cracks Giga Chikadze with a left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Featherweight Bout

Calvin Kattar: 23-9-0, 11 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Steve Garcia: 17-5-0, 14 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Kattar has won one of his last five fights, with UFC victories coming over #12 ranked Featherweight Dan Ige (19-9-0),#15 ranked Featherweight Giga Chikadze (15-5-0), and Andre Fili (24-12-0). He is a technical, patient boxer who fights behind his jab before unleashing brutal combinations with his hands. He pushes an intense pace, landing over 100 significant strikes in four of his last seven UFC fights. Training with the New England Cartel, Kattar often looks to to lull his opponent in, remaining patient and reserved before exploding and unloading big combinations. While he won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges, he has solid wrestling skills and has defended 77% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. When he finds himself in top position, he has heavy ground and pound and top control. Kattar has proven to be one of the toughest fighters in the UFC, regularly surviving in deep waters, and has a excellent chin.

*Steve Garcia stuns Chase Hooper with a powerful left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Garcia is on a five-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Chase Hooper (16-3-1), Shayilan Nuerdanbieke (39-12-0), and Melquizael Costa (24-7-0). He’s a heavy-handed striker who’s constantly coming forward and pursuing a knockout. He’s lengthy for the division and uses it well, throwing everything in combination and regularly mixing kicks into his combos. Garcia varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly, and constantly looks to enter the pocket and let his hands go. Training at Jackson-Wink MMA, he’s landing, on average, over one takedown per fifteen minutes in the UFC and has heavy ground and pound. He throws everything with power but has impressive speed and technicality, never loading up or telegraphing his shots. Nine of Garcia’s last ten fights did not see a third round, and he’s always pushing the pace.

#12 Stephen Thompson vs. Gabriel Bonfim

*Stephen Thompson blasts Kevin Holland with a right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Welterweight Bout

Stephen Thompson: 17-8-1, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Gabriel Bonfim: 17-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 13 Sub.

Thompson has won one of his last five bouts, holding UFC victories over #11 ranked Welterweight Geoff Neal (16-6-0), #14 ranked Welterweight Kevin Holland (28-13-0), and Vicente Luque (23-11-1). He’s a karate-style fighter who provides his opponents with a steady dose of lead leg attacks and straight punches. He has excellent footwork and distance management, constantly moving and changing stances while keeping his head off the centerline. Training with Team Upstate Karate, Thompson is highly accurate and never telegraphs strikes, throwing swift kicks and frequently attacking from different angles. Although he has an excellent arsenal of kicks, he possesses equal power and speed in his hands, often blitzing forward to unload combinations. He’s most comfortable in a technical striking match, but he’s willing to get dirty and exchange in the pocket. Thompson has been awarded eight post-fight bonuses in his UFC tenure and is rarely in a boring fight.

*Gabriel Bonfim secures a takedown on Khaos Williams. Credit: Ag. Fight.*

Bonfim has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Khaos Williams (15-5-0), Mounir Lazzez (11-3-0), and Trevin Giles (16-7-0). He always comes out guns blazing, throwing bombs, and looking for an early finish. Fighting behind his jab, he employs crisp boxing and consistently throws in combination, possessing excellent speed and power in his hands. Bonfim loves to engage in the pocket and tends to headhunt, but won’t get sloppy; he always keeps his guard high and his punches tight and straight. He has a deadly submission game, can find chokes from seemingly anywhere, and has fantastic takedowns. Training at Cerrado MMA, he advances with lightning speed on the ground and always pursues a finish. Bonfim has secured all of his submission victories via choke and can finish the fight quickly if he gets a hold of his opponent’s neck.

#9 Derrick Lewis vs. #13 Tallison Teixeira

*Derrick Lewis unleashes a leaping head kick onto Rodrigo Nascimento. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Heavyweight Bout

Derrick Lewis: 28-12-0, 23 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Tallison Teixiera: 8-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Lewis has won two of his last five fights, with UFC victories coming over #2 ranked Heavyweight Alexander Volkov (38-11-0), #4 ranked Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes (19-5-0), and #7 ranked Heavyweight Marcin Tybura (27-9-0). Famous for his kill-or-be-killed approach, he is arguably the most powerful puncher in the Heavyweight division. Training at Silverback Fight Club, he has a unique, patient style that often shifts from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye. Along with his punching power, Lewis has a surprising arsenal of flashy attacks, particularly jumping kicks and flying knees. He doesn’t often initiate grappling exchanges and is well known for his non-technical wrestling style of “just getting up,” but he can do serious damage if he gets on top of someone. He’s incredibly resilient and is never truly out of a fight, especially since he only needs to land one clean shot to find a finish. Lewis is the record holder for UFC knockouts with 15 and looks to add to that number every time he fights.

*Tallison Teixeira unloads ground and pound shots onto Justin Tafa. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Teixeira is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Justin Tafa (7-5-0). He’s a massive, lengthy striker with serious, one-shot knockout power in his hands. Standing at 6’7”, he uses his length well, often firing kicks and long straights from range before entering the pocket to blast his opponent with hooks and uppercuts. Teixeira fights behind his jab and regularly mixes kicks into combinations, but tends to headhunt, constantly pursuing a knockout. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges; instead, he often remains on his feet, taking advantage of his significant height and reach. Training with Team Lucas Mineiro, he has a great chin and is willing to brawl on the inside, but he’s also extremely dangerous from range. Teixeira has not seen a second round in his brief professional career and has scored three knockouts in 40 seconds or less.

Best Bets

Petrino vs. Lane Under 1.5 Rounds: A matchup of two heavy-handed finishers, there’s sure to be fireworks in this fight. Although both are mostly known as knockout artists, they don’t have identical styles. Petrino tends to mix it up more, using both his powerful striking and solid grappling to find a finish. Lane is more of a classical striker, utilizing his punching power and size to put his opponents away. Both have finished the majority of their victories and are coming off knockout losses, so they’ll be looking for a highlight victory to get back into the win column. They have both proven susceptible to finish losses, as both of them have been knocked out or submitted in all of their combined losses. Considering these factors, I’d expect both men to come out guns blazing from the opening bell, hunting for a finish by any means necessary. While I’m not confident in how this fight will end, I do believe it will not last longer than one and a half rounds.

Steve Garcia Moneyline: This is an exciting matchup of high-level strikers that I’ve been looking forward to. Garcia is on a five-fight knockout streak and is looking for a knockout from the opening bell. Kattar has lost four straight, but possesses excellent technical boxing skills and a solid chin. Beyond his recent losses, Kattar has been in plenty of all-out wars during his UFC tenure, including his fight with Holloway, where he absorbed the most total and significant strikes ever in a single bout. While I wouldn't say his chin is gone, being in that many brutal fights takes a toll on a fighter over time. Kattar is also at home in a more technical, volume-based striking match, whereas Garcia prefers power to volume and throws every punch with knockout intentions. I believe Garcia has both the speed and power advantage, as well as height and reach. I expect him to force Kattar to the outside of the cage, keeping him on the end of his punches and constantly pressing forward. Ultimately, I expect Garcia to overwhelm Kattar with pressure and power en route to a victory on Saturday.

Lewis vs. Teixeira Under 1.5 Rounds: We’ll see two Heavyweight knockout artists go toe-to-toe in this main event bout. Lewis is one of the most prolific power punchers in MMA and rarely sees the judges’ scorecards. Teixeira has finished every fight of his professional career, and is yet to leave the first round. When you have two Heavyweights with the power these two fighters have, the fight isn’t likely to last long. Given the enormous height and reach of Teixeira, I expect Lewis to be coming forward as much as possible, constantly pushing the action. Likewise, Teixeira is always looking to come forward and force his opponent to the outside, so I anticipate plenty of close exchanges. Both of these fighters are capable of ending a fight with a single punch, and if they’re going to meet in the middle, someone is going to land that punch. Regardless of who emerges as the victor, I am confident this fight will not go longer than one and a half rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira Preview